The gut in mains vs. gut in crosses are for different purposes.
The gut in the crosses is to take a poly stringbed and to make it more comfortable and slightly more powerful. Since the mains are the primary factor, the gut crosses kind of change the flavor of the poly string job.
The gut mains/poly crosses is different than a full gut string job. Mains ride across the poly crosses like on rails instead of the whole stringbed flexing on a full gut job. The springiness of the gut gives power (though less than full gut) but the stretching and snapping of the gut across the poly can give great amounts of spin.

putting gut in crosses is a waste of gut as any less expensive multi will do the same thing,,,,,soften the string bed.
putting gut in mains gives more:
-power
-comfort
-spin
-control
-plays better longer

putting gut in crosses is a waste of gut as any less expensive multi will do the same thing,,,,,soften the string bed.
putting gut in mains gives more:
-power
-comfort
-spin
-control
-plays better longer

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Radwanska uses gut mains? From the pictures I remember seeing of her she was using what appeared to be Hurricane Feel, with gut crosses.

[snip]
putting gut in crosses is a waste of gut as any less expensive multi will do the same thing,,,,,soften the string bed.
putting gut in mains gives more:
-power
-comfort
-spin
-control
-plays better longer

Click to expand...

Just a clarification question: Gut in the mains gives more power, comfort, etc. than . . . what? All gut? All poly?

I use poly in the mains (Lux rough) and a Babolat Xcel ("comfort") in the crosses. I've never tried it the other way around. The Xcel always breaks first.

Ive tried both and gut in main is much more playable. Jumpier ball and not as grabby if you have a verticle stroke but still very grabby if you hit across the ball. Gut in the crosses was horrible but it might be a different story on different tensions. High tension gut crosses mixed with low tension poly crosses? The best all around set up I found is poly/multi hybrid...poly mains and multi cross. Very soft and grabby but wears out very quickly. The gut main and poly cross seems to last the longest.

Babolat Excel is not gut, the hitting experience would not be as good as gut.

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As someone who has "tested" this, I will disagree with this in full. First, one cannot state a player experience to an absolute. Second, crosses do little more than hold the mains in place, using gut for this is a waste of gut, IMO. Third, I have done both and truthfully preferred the multi set up in the crosses as it was even "softer" than the like gut setup.

I agree that many pros use gut in the mains for more spin. However, most pros are not as concerned with durability as the average player. They often switch racquets several times during a single match … some at each ball change. Many polys cut through gut mains fairly quickly, especially with the additional string movement of the poly cross. Also, multis and/or synthetics do not hold tension nearly as well as gut. Using gut as a cross produces a much more consistent stringbed and in my opinion, one that stays playable for a longer period of time.

So, I’m not sure if gut as a cross is a waste of money. I think it depends on the player, what they require from their set-up, how often they re-string to get it, and of course, what they can afford. I once had a poly main/gut cross string job that felt very good even after a full 8 months of use … but with synthetic I probably get about a month at the max.

I agree that many pros use gut in the mains for more spin. However, most pros are not as concerned with durability as the average player. They often switch racquets several times during a single match … some at each ball change. Many polys cut through gut mains fairly quickly, especially with the additional string movement of the poly cross. Also, multis and/or synthetics do not hold tension nearly as well as gut. Using gut as a cross produces a much more consistent stringbed and in my opinion, one that stays playable for a longer period of time.

So, I’m not sure if gut as a cross is a waste of money. I think it depends on the player, what they require from their set-up, how often they re-string to get it, and of course, what they can afford. I once had a poly main/gut cross string job that felt very good even after a full 8 months of use … but with synthetic I probably get about a month at the max.

8 months for poly mains? Not sure if your used to hitting with a sledge hammer or what? Most poly goes dead rather quickly, especially if it's in the mains, feels like hitting with a board. Not sure how you don't feel that?

Gut crosses are better than syn gut or multi crosses but since the mains determine about 75-80% of how a racket plays, it seems like a big waste of money to me.

Gut mains/poly cross is a great stringbed for me, but too expensive. I now use multi mains or syn gut mains with poly crosses.

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I actually cut my crosses out when the poly goes dead and just restring the crosses to get another 2-3 weeks out of my gut mains. I don't break strings all that often so I can get away with it. I've also used syn gut mains when things get tight and it's not bad at all.

Drak and others can you confirm that one of the few pros that does gut crosses is Murray? Although many of you have posted that its a waste of time and money to put gut crosses I've always gone that way and I've done it for almost 6-7 years now. I just felt like the gut always softened up my poly mains, but in a way that no other multi could do. I felt with a multi the bed would feel too powerful. I don't do it for the durability I just do it because it's the best way for me to get the characteristics of the PHT I love minus the stiffness if I were to string it full bed.

I've been using the Roddick hybrid of PHT/VS

However, I am going to listen to what many of you guys have said about doing gut in the mains and I will be trying that as my next string job. I am extremely eager to play that and see how it feels.

putting gut in crosses is a waste of gut as any less expensive multi will do the same thing,,,,,soften the string bed.
putting gut in mains gives more:
-power
-comfort
-spin
-control
-plays better longer

Click to expand...

Kei actually puts gut in the crosses. As does Muzza and Doggy. Just makes me wonder why they choose those set ups over the advantages that having gut mains entails.

Kei actually puts gut in the crosses. As does Muzza and Doggy. Just makes me wonder why they choose those set ups over the advantages that having gut mains entails.

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Poly mains/gut cross will have slightly more control than gut mains/poly cross. I played the Wilson BLX 6.1 95 in 16x18 string pattern. I felt like it needed poly mains to temper the liveliness of the stringbed. So, I used poly mains with a soft cross string to tone it down a bit. I think this is the "typical" reason that you would go poly/gut instead of gut/poly.

My personal preference is the gut in the cross. I have tried both ways and for me it felt better with gut in cross. I guess you should all experiment and see what you like for you, not because someone told your your fave pro does it that way.

i've been playing VS Gut Main, ALU Power Rough cross last 7 years and it's the best set up for me.. power, spin and control. I strung it very loose VSGut 40lb and ALU cross at 36lb.. put on string savers and I think the whole string bed will go up another 5lb.. perfect setup on K90, KPS88 or St. Vincent.. I also tried put the VSGut cross and honestly as some one stated above it's a waste of $$ since u only feelt the stiffness of poly but not take advantage of the power and touch of the gut..

putting gut in crosses is a waste of gut as any less expensive multi will do the same thing,,,,,soften the string bed.
putting gut in mains gives more:
-power
-comfort
-spin
-control
-plays better longer